One cannot deny the love of the Princess de Lamballe for her doomed Queen. The Princess had emigrated to England and was safe from the horrors of the revolution but returned to Paris to be with Antoinette during her final days. The Princess was rewarded by the mobs with a gruesome, cruel death by decapitation and mutilation.

The devoted Princess returned with a sweet, charming and sensitive gift for Antoinette that she was allowed to keep during her stay in the Tuileries then the Temple and later in the Conciergerie. It was tiny pug dog that Her Majesty named Odin (this was the name of Axel Fersen's dog), and it stayed with her to the very end and was a great comfort to her.

Such love and devotion are hard to comprehend. They were embodied in Marie de Lamballe.

("Marie Antoinette" page 307 Joan Haslip)

Thu Jul 29, 2010 1:56 pm

Redgauntlet

Peasant

Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 6:54 pmPosts: 2

Re: A Gift From the Princess de Lamballe To the Imprisoned Queen

Yes I agree wholeheartedly about this angelic lady who was so devoted to her Queen & in fact the monarchy as a whole,the horrific & unjustifiable murder of her puts their revolution to shame.For me she is best depicted in the old black & white film with Norma Shearer playing the role of the Queen of France,the film was also called Marie Antoinette,the film would of course have been better in colour. I do find the idea of a Pug as a present really lovely,the Pug is one of my favourite breeds.Please does anyone have any idea what happened to Odin after the Queen was beheaded? I hope taken care of. Take care, Redgauntlet

Tue Aug 14, 2012 2:46 pm

Vive

Marquis/Marquise

Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:53 pmPosts: 132

Re: A Gift From the Princess de Lamballe To the Imprisoned Queen

Being that Lamballe's tragic murder was not sanctioned by the Revolutionary leaders, I don't think it puts them to shame any more than my being mugged puts my government to shame. When people are acting counter to the laws they are by nature acting counter to the government, and the crimes they commit cannot be attributed to their leaders. Of course, the leaders could have done more to stop the Massacres but that's a complicated debate that would warrant its own thread. Regardless, that would be a crime of omission rather than commission.

Lamballe of course didn't do anything to merit her horrendous death. She was loyal and kind and she served her Queen to the end.

I did a cursory search, but I couldn't unearth anything in regards to the fate of Odin. I imagine it would have been taken in by Rosalie or someone. A lot of the Revolutionary victims left behind dogs (as per my wont, my mind has strayed to Robespierre) and it is decisively difficult to uncover the fate of these canines. :/

Edit: Though to come back to something that struck me, are you sure Odin stayed with her to the end? The Revolutionaries allowed her to have a dog in her Concierge cell?

_________________History is written by the victors - Winston Churchill

Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:03 am

baron de batz

Prince/Princesse

Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:21 amPosts: 1545Location: paris

Re: A Gift From the Princess de Lamballe To the Imprisoned Queen

Madame de Lamballe was at the Prison de la Force in the Marais. I doubt that she had any dog with her. I never heard any mention of it. marie Antoinette apparently was allowed to keep her poodle at the Conciergerie....as it was French!

_________________"Fidelité et constance, sans espoir de récompense."

Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:11 pm

Vive

Marquis/Marquise

Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:53 pmPosts: 132

Re: A Gift From the Princess de Lamballe To the Imprisoned Queen

On one hand, I think that Antoinette probably appreciated the dog's presence as I'm sure its sentimentality offered emotional comfort. But then I turn around and think practicality - she then had to be in that small cell with a dog...and the filth it makes. I imagine its feces would be cleaned out daily, but ew... The smell...

But I suppose that was the least of her worries.

_________________History is written by the victors - Winston Churchill

Fri Aug 24, 2012 5:32 am

Nell

Peasant

Joined: Thu May 10, 2012 9:34 amPosts: 8

Re: A Gift From the Princess de Lamballe To the Imprisoned Queen

Yes, I think that would have been the least of her worries. She would have been used to mess and smell in Versailles anyway and I think the company of another living being, who was devoted and non judgemental, would have been a great comfort to her. I have often wondered what happened to these dogs, especially the ones in Versailles; did they go into exile with their owners or were they left to stray the empty corridors and take their chances with the revolutionaries?

Fri Aug 24, 2012 9:28 am

baron de batz

Prince/Princesse

Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:21 amPosts: 1545Location: paris

Re: A Gift From the Princess de Lamballe To the Imprisoned Queen

As far as I know the concierge's wife looked after the dog after her death. It would regularly jump up on her empty bed in her cell and lie there...

_________________"Fidelité et constance, sans espoir de récompense."

Fri Aug 24, 2012 1:12 pm

Lilly

Royalty

Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2008 4:10 pmPosts: 710

Re: A Gift From the Princess de Lamballe To the Imprisoned Queen

I have serious doubts as to whether MA was allowed to keep any dog with her in the Concierge. The Revolutionaries took everything away from her....you really think they allowed her to have the comfort and joy of a pet?

Sat Aug 25, 2012 5:32 pm

Lilly

Royalty

Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2008 4:10 pmPosts: 710

Re: A Gift From the Princess de Lamballe To the Imprisoned Queen

Just happened to come across this - it's at the Met, NYC. Marie Antoinette's dog bed from Versailles.

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